Electric



(No Model.) 3 Sheets'Sheet 1.

0. S. GIBSON. ELECTRIC TIME'ALARM.

No. 498,710. Patented May 30, 1893.

1930,9161, cm 6*. Gibson;

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet '3.

O. S. GIBSON. ELECTRIC TIME ALARM.

No. 498,710. Patented May 30, 1893.

Wiigcsses Unrrnn STATES PATENT FFICE.

CHARLES SCHUYLER GIBSON, OF SOUTH NEXV BERLIN, NElV' YORK.

ELECTRIC. TIME-ALARM.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,710, dated May 30,1893.

Application filed October 12, 1892. Serial No. 448,674. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES SCHUYLER GIBSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at South New Berlin, in the county of Chenango andState of New York, have invented a new and useful Electric Signal-Clock,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric signal clocks; and it has for itsobject to provide an im provement in clocks of this character whereby asystem of electric bells can be rung at irregular intervals during oneday or a part of a day, or during the entire week or part of the week asdesired.

To this end the invention primarily contemplates a device whereincertain contactson the face of the clock are rendered live or dead, tosecure the proper signals and in order to especially adapt the signalclock for school purposes in indicating class recitation hours, and alsoin the railway service for dispatching trains, due.

WVith these and other objects in view which fall within the scope ofthis invention, the same consists in the novel construction, combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustratedand claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:Figure 1 is a front elevation or plan viewof an electric clock system, constructed in accordance with thisinvention. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the clock, showing the regulating circuitcloser and the clock mechanism, together with the releasing deviceoperating lever. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 44- ofFig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail plan of the upper end of one of the contactrollers and the releasing device connected therewith. Fig. 6 is a seriesof detail sectional views illustrating the operation of the rollerreleasing device. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view on theline 7-7 ofFig. 1. Fig. 8 is a detail crossseetion at the ring end of the rollers.Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail plan view showing the brushes andconnections thereto.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A represents the clock or dialface numbered in the'usual manner and over the face of which travels theminute and hour hands a and a, respectively, both of which are c011-nected to and operated by an ordinary clock mechanism B, secured to therear face of the dial plate A and inclosed in any suitable frame, theentire operating mechanism hereinafter described used in connection withthe clock, being designed to be mounted within a single frame or in anysuitable relation to secure an operative result. Secured upon the dialplate and inclosing the numerals therebetween are the inner and outercircles of conducting plates O, each circle comprising a series ofseparate and independent plates 0, secured at their ends to the dial,and insulated from each other so as to have separate and independentconnections. There are preferably twelve plates in each circlecorresponding to the number of hours on the dial, making twenty fourplates in both circles, each plate of one circle being adapted to breakjoints with the plates of the opposite circle, so that there is no lossin the possible connections which might be made.

The two circles of conducting plates C, inclose there-between a circularpath of non-conducting material c', below which are printed thenumerals, and in this path between the said circles is designed totravel the contact brush or foot D, secured to the minute hand, a, nearits outer end and normally contacted with said non-conducting path. Thebrush or foot D, traveling between the circles of plates, is designed tocontact and make connection with the contact plugs (1, arranged upon theface of the dial and inserted beneath the said plates so as to projectinto the path of the hand brush, and said plugs which are provided withflanged finger ends d, are designed to be slid under the conductingplates 0, at the several hours and fractions of the hour, that it isdesigned to cause the signal or signals to sound, but as hereinafterdescribed, some of said plugs are designed to be live during one hour,while others are dead during the same hour, and vice versa, duringanother hour.

Each of the conducting plates 0, of each circle has connected therewitha separate circuit wire E, which leads from the clock dial to itscontact brush F, arranged in series at a suitable point adjacent to theclock. The metallic contact brushes F, are fixedly sccured at one end tothe base frame support ing the entire mechanism, while their other endsproject outward from the base frame in a line with each other at oneside of the screwstripf. The said screw-strip f,is also secured to saidbase and accommodates a series of regulating screws f, the pointed endsof which Work against the projecting spring ends of the twenty fourspring contact brushes F, which are separately connected by the wires Eto a particular conducting plate upon the face of the dial of the clock,and therefore in electrical connection therewith. The said brushes F,project alongside of and in close proximity to one of the series ofconnecting or circuit closing rollers G,illustrated in Fig. 1 asarranged side by side, in a series, in re lation and connection with asimilar set of contact brushes such as those just described, but sinceone roller is sufficient to operate one system of bells,l will confinemy description to one roller and the connections for one roller.

The contact roller G,is constructedof wood orother suitablenonconducting material, and is provided with the metallic journal ends9, working in the bearing arms or brackets 9, arranged at each endthereof and projecting outwardly from the base to which the device issecured. The said roller G, is preferably divided into twelve equalparts corresponding to the hours on the clock dial, and such divisionsare indicated by a longitudinal series of metallic connecting plates H,electrically connected at one end by the continuous connecting ring h,while to the other ends of said strips or plates are connected the shortwires h, electrically connecting these ends of said strips or plates tothe upper metallic journal of the roller, both of which slightlyprojects through the bearing arms or brackets g, and contact with theend spring contact plates 7L2, arranged alongside of both brackets inorder to secure a perfect electrical connection from the metallicjournals to the single circuit wire I, connected directly and by the endconnecting plates 7t with said end plates and with the friction andcontact brush 11. The said friction and contact brush 't', is arrangedin the line with the series of brushes F, and contacts with thecontinuous connecting ring h, at one end of the roller, in order toretard the movement of the roller When rotating, and also to insure theproper connection from the roller to the wire I, forining a part of thecircuit to be described. At the lower end of the roller opposite theshort wires h, one of the plates H, is extended as at 71/3, and connectswith the lower metallic journal to secure the three connections for thewire I, as described.

The contact roller G, as described, travels in close proximity to thebrushes I, and therefore normally out of contact therewith. Said rollerpresents the strips or plates ll, to the brushes F, one at a time, butthere is no connection between the same unless in that particular plateroller plugs J, are inserted. The said roller nodes J, are constructedsimilar to the dial plugs d, and are adapted to have their flanged endscontact with that brush directly opposite the same.

It will be readily understood that according to the fractions of theparticular hour at which it is desired for the clock to signal, rollerplugs are inserted in the connecting strip or plate corresponding tothat hour, so that such plugs will connect in the complete circuit onlythose brushes which are connected to the dial plugs, which are to be inthe circuit during that hour, thereby rendering all other dial plugsinactive during the same hour. The next. hour is supposed to havedifferent intervals at which the clock is to signal, and therefore thedevice is arranged so that at the end of each hour the rollerautomatically revolves one twelfth of a revolution, in order to presenta new connecting strip or plate, and therefore a differently arrangedset of roller contact plugs, which closed the circuit with certain otherdial plugs, the purpose of which will at once suggest itself.

In order to provide for the hourly partial revolution of the connectingenlivening roller G, the lower spindle end thereof is provided with apinion K, with which meshes the gear wheel 7r, mounted upon the springactuated shaft 7.2, wound up in any suitable manner, and normallytending to rotate such roller, which is designed to be held stationaryfor a whole hour and at the end of that hour to be released sufficientlylong to make its one twelfth of a revolution. To the up per end of theroller or the upper spindle thereof, is secured the large gear wheel L,meshing with an adjacent small pinion I, mounted upon a short shaft Z,which carries the stop and releasing wheel Z having projecting from itsperiphery the stop and releasing pin Z that is adapted to engage anddisengage the releasing lever M. The said releasing lever M is pivotedat one end to a suitable point of attachment above the roller, and isadapted to be lifted and dropped once every hour. The said releasinglever M, is provided at the free end thereof with the head 972, havingthe upper and lower overlapping tongues m and m respectively, saidtongues, though overlapping, being out of contact with each other toleave an escape opening for the stud or pin of the wheel Z A wire or redN, is connected to the pivoted lever M and to the lifting lever a,pivoted to a suitable point of attachment back of the clock mechanism B,and having its free end lying in the path of the lifting arm m, securedto the rear end of the minute hand shaft, so that said arm will come incontact with the lifting lever once an hour, to raise and then suddenlydrop the same to release the wheel Z from the releasing lever, and allowit to make one revolution, which permits the spring actuated connectingroller to revolve one twelfth of a revolution. Normally, during thehour,the pin Z, rests against one side of the upper tongue m. At the end IIOof the hour when the lever on is raised, the upper tongue is raisedabove the pin so that the same drops onto the lower pin. Now, when thesaid lever is dropped, the pin or stud of the wheel is in a position topass through the opening between the two tongues, so that the wheel Zcan make its revolution, after which the pin or stud again comes incontact with the upper tongue.

The circuit wire I, from the connecting roller, is preferably connectedto the relay 0, which connects by the wire I, with the battery P, whilethe clock circuit is completed through the wire I to the minute hand a,of the clock, which hand completes the circuit through the plugs asalready mapped out. The relayis inserted in order to out in a separatebattery orseries .of batteries for the electric bells, aud the relaywires lead to the binding posts Q, to which are connected any suitablebell system such as that illustrated.

Now, in order to provide for regulatingthc duration of the ringing ofthe bells, I interpose in the circuit wire I a regulating; circuitcloser R, such as is fully illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Thecircuit closer R, comprises the separated spring wire terminals r and4", respectively, normally out of contact with each other and adapted tobe pressed into contact as long as it is desired to have the bells ring.One of the terminals 1', is arranged adjacent to a wheel of the clockmechanism, as S, having a known revolution, (one minute,) and this wheelis provided with a projecting studs, which during an interval or atleast during a part of the minute, is designed to press the terminal 0",in contact with the terminal 7, and hold it in such contact until thesame has passed such terminal.

The duration of contact of the circuit closing terminals is re ulated byseparating the same different distances apart, as will be readilyapparent. A switch T, may be interposed in the circuit, if so desired.

Although one roller and its connections have been described,nevertheless, it will be readily seen that the system can be greatlyenlarged by employing a series of such rollers G, as illustrated in Fig.1 of the drawings, such rollers all being geared together and operatedby the same mechanism, and in such arrangement each relay is designed tocut in a different system of bells, so that several different signalscan be sounded at the same time if so desired,which will be easilyunderstood to those skilled in the art.

The operation of the clock system has already been outlined in thedescription of the several parts thereof, the circuits being clearlyillustrated in the drawings. As will be now readily understood, when thebrush of the minute hand comes in contact with one of the dial plugs,while the same is thereon, the regulating circuit closer will close thecircuit and cause the alarm to be sounded if that particular dial nodeis in the circuit, that is if it has a corresponding roller plug incontact with its own brush, as already described. This operation isrepeated at irregular intervals,whenever the minute hand brush contactswith a live dial node. The periods of signaling are different from theplugs on the dial being out in the circuit once an hour by themechanisms herein described and set forth.

It is now thought that the operation and advantages of the hereindescribed clock system will be obvious to those skilled in the artwithout further description, and it will of course be understood thatall modifications falling within the scope of the invention are reservedto my option.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electric signal clock, the combination with the clock; of theconcentric rows of separated conducting plates breaking joints, flangeddial plugs adapted to be removably inserted under said plates and toproject into the path inclosed between the rows, the clock minute handhaving a spring brush or foot adapted to travel between said rows ofplates and over the projecting ends of the plugs, an automaticintermittently revolving circuitclosing roller, circuit wires leadingfrom each of said separated conducting plates to the circuit closingroller, and a bell circuit connected with the hand and said circuitclosing roller, substantially as set forth.

2. In an electrical signaling clock, the clock dial plugs removablyarranged upon the face of the clock,the minute hand adapted to connectwith the dial plugs, plug brushes arranged at a suitable point andconnected separately by wires with separate dial plugs, anintermittently revolving spring-actuated connecting or circuit closingroller having roller shifting plugs adapted to contact with certainbrushes to close the circuit with certain dial plugs, an independentautomatic stop and releasing device for said roller, and electricalconnections from the roller and the clock hand to a bell circuit,substantially as set forth.

3. In an electric signaling clock, the clock, dial plugs removablyarranged upon the dial of the clock, the minute hand traveling over saidplugs, a circuit closing roller mounted for revolution, and having alongitudinally disposed parallel series of electrically connectedmetallic connecting plates, flanged roller plugs adaptedtoberemovablyinserted under said separate connecting strips or plates inany shifted position, means for partially revolving said roller hourly,a series of adjustable plug brushes arranged in a line in closeproximity to the roller at one side of the same and adapted to contactwith the roller plugs under the plate facing the brushes, separate wiresleading from each brush to a separate dial plug, and electricalconnections from the electrical connections of said roller plates andthe clock hand to a bell circuit, substantially as set forth.

4. In an electrical signaling clock, the com- ITO bination with theclock, the dial of which is provided with a series of contact plugsmaking connection with the minute hand; of a circuit closing rollerhaving a longitudinal series of connecting strips or plates connected atboth ends with the metallic journals thereof, an auxiliary connectingring connecting said strips at one end, an adjustable combined frictionand contact brush adapted to contact with said connecting rings, wiresconnecting the metallic journals of the roller and said brush in asingleconnecti'on,roller plugs adapted to be inserted under the metallicstrips or plates, adjustable plug brushes arranged adjacent to theroller and adapted to contact only with plugs thereon,separate circuitWires leading from each brush to separate dial plugs, means foractuating said roller, means for releasing the roller hourly for apartial rotation, and a bell circuit completed through the hand of theclock and the connections of the roller, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a signaling clock system and the circuit closingroller thereof having a gear wheel at one end and means for rotation atthe other end; of a short shaft having a small pinion meshing with saidgear wheel and a combined stop and releasing wheel having a projectingpin or stud, an adjacent releasing lever pivoted at one end and havingat its other free end upper and lower overlapping tongues leaving anescape space therebetween for the pin or stud of said wheel, whichnormally bears against the up per tongue above the escape opening, alifting lever connected with said releasing lever, and a lifting armsecured to the minutehand shaft of the clock and adapted to raise anddrop said lifting lever to raise and drop the releasing lever,substantially as set forth.

6. In an electric signaling system, the combination, with the bellandclock circuits electrically connected, and a wheel of the clock having asingle projecting stud; of a circuit closer included in the clockcircuit and comprising normally separated spring wire terminals, one ofwhich lies alongside of the studded wheel and is adapted to be engagedby said stud to close the circuit with the other terminal and regulatethe duration of the sounding of the signal, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my ownI have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES SCIIUYLER GIBSON.

Witnesses:

CLARK J OI-INSON, FRANK LAMB.

